St. Francis de Sales
The primary mission of our DeSales Secular Institute is to share and promote Salesian spirituality. Francis de Sales was the Bishop of Geneva in the 16th Century during the counter-reformation, when Calvinism was taking root in Western Europe. A Doctor of the Universal Church and Doctor of Divine Love his writings begin with the premise that every Christian in every walk of life can lead a devout life. By following his simple techniques Christians are able to advance in love of God and neighbor.
“When God created the world He commanded each tree to bear fruit after its kind;and even so He bids Christians,–the living trees of His Church,–to bring forth fruits of devotion, each one according to his kind and vocation. A different exercise of devotion is required of each–the noble, the artisan, the servant, the prince, the maiden and the wife; and furthermore such practice must be modified according to the strength, the calling, and the duties of each individual. I ask you, my child, would it be fitting that a Bishop should seek to lead the solitary life of a Carthusian? And if the father of a family were as regardless in making provision for the future as a Capucin, if the artisan spent the day in church like a Religious, if the Religious involved himself in all manner of business on his neighbour’s behalf as a Bishop is called upon to do, would not such a devotion be ridiculous, ill-regulated, and intolerable? Nevertheless such a mistake is often made, and the world, which cannot or will not discriminate between real devotion and the indiscretion of those who fancy themselves devout, grumbles and finds fault with devotion, which is really nowise concerned in these errors. No indeed, my child, the devotion which is true hinders nothing, but on the contrary it perfects everything; ”
– St. Francis de Sales
“Aristotle says that the bee sucks honey from flowers without damaging them, leaving them as whole and fresh as it found them;–but true devotion does better still, for it not only hinders no manner of vocation or duty, but, contrariwise, it adorns and beautifies all.”
– St. Francis de Sales
Sanctifying the Ordinary
In eating, sleeping, recreation, conversation, and in the daily duties of our state in life we have an opportunity to please or displease God. De Sales encourages us to always attempt to please him especially in the most common and simple things. He explains how and why to do it. When we please God day-to-day we become zealous for the sanctification of the world. We show our zeal in three ways:
1. When we take steps to suppress evil,
2. When we give good example, and
3. When we are patient and long-suffering in
order to restrain and avoid evil.
Zeal is constant, gentle, diligent, and equally friendly and untiring. True zeal is a child of love.
Great Direction
We have no bond of union except the bond of charity, which is the bond of perfection. As Salesians we strive to unite ourselves with God in everything we do. In order to achieve that union, de Sales recommends making a “Direction of Intention” at the beginning of all of our actions, both interior and exterior, asking for God’s grace and offering back to Him all the good that our action may accomplish.
A Direction of Intention is an interior statement like this:
“Lord God, grant me the help of Your grace. I offer to You all of the good that I might do in this action. I will strive to bear with interior peace and meekness of heart all of the trouble which I may meet in it, as coming from Your fatherly hand. For I know it is Your intention to make me merit by this means so as to reward me afterwards out of the abundance of Your love.”
Formation of Conscience
At the beginning of each day we should look ahead to what situations for serving God might arise and also what temptations we could face. Then we make a firm resolution to please God in both respects, by doing good and avoiding evil. De Sales recommends examining our conscience twice a day – at noon and at night. He also teaches us how to make a good confession, and what qualities to look for in a good confessor and spiritual director.
To keep it all working properly, he encourages all Christians to attend an annual retreat to take stock of progress made and to fix what might need fixing.
Life of Prayer
As soon as we wake up, de Sales recommends that we unite ourselves with God by some pious thought, make the sign of the cross when we dress, and make a brief examination of conscience during our morning prayers. He encourages daily mass and daily meditation, and he teaches us how to get the most benefit from those two activities. He also suggests reading scripture, and praying throughout the day by simple acts of recollection. Whoever does these things will naturally thank God for all His benefits at the end of the day.
In this manner we make steady progress and grow closer to Christ day-by-day. For the goal of our prayer is to please God, not by doing great things, but by doing little things with great love.
Salesian Family
Saints Francis de Sales and Jane Frances Fremyot de Chantalfounded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in France on 6 June 1610.
Our Salesian family of saints: Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque – Saint Leonie Aviat – Blessed Louis
Brisson – Venerable Mary de Sales Chappuis – Blessed Visitandine Martyrs from Madrid and many other holy men and women.
Religious and lay institutes who are members of our Salesian family: Oblate Sisters of Saint Francis de Sales – Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales – Society of the Daughters of Saint Francis de Sales – Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales – DeSales Secular Institute.
Salesian friends: Saint Augustine of Hippo – Saint Ignatius of Loyola – Saint Philip Neri – Saint Vincent de Paul – Saint Claude de la Colombiere – Blessed John Henry Newman – Saint John Bosco.
Our Patroness: Our Lady of Light. Blessed Louis Brisson, Chaplain of the Visitation Sisters in Troyes, France, selected Notre Dame de Lumiere – Our Lady of Light. Our Lady is mounted towards Heaven, the Source of all light. He passed this devotion to the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, who in turn passed it on to the DeSales Secular Institute.